U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,373 describes an invention by Randy Franks entitled "Night Golf System". This patent , which issued to Night Golf, Inc. in 1995, describes an approach to making it possible to play golf twenty-four hours a day on golf courses. The teachings of the patent are to use a glow in the dark ball in combination with a light stick carried by the golfer and together with lights strategically positioned on the course.
The Night Golf, Inc. patent provides a description of the prior art. Golf courses have been illuminated using lights mounted on poles or trees surrounding the course. The Night Golf, Inc. patent indicates that these lights have been considered as an unacceptable solution. They detracted from the aesthetic beauty of the golf course during the day, which was considered to be a significant factors in the golfers overall enjoyment of the golf course. They create an additional obstruction on the golf course during daytime play. They increased golf course maintenance costs as the lamps and light fixtures were exposed to year round weather conditions. To service the lamps and light fixtures positioned high above the ground, was considered very time consuming and potentially dangerous. Maintenance personnel had to travel to each light location, position a ladder underneath the light and then climb up the ladder to the light fixture to replace the lamp bulb.